Harriet Visits and Shares Her Family’s Immigration Stories

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“My name is Lieber but it shouldn’t be because my father was never really Lieber. Everything about me is based on my father’s false papers.”

Dear Harriet,

Thank you for coming and sharing your story. The coolest thing I learned was learning about everything because my grandpa was an immigrant, who told a lot of stories, so it’s interesting to learn someone else’s. I liked learning that your grandpa loved to draw, because I do too.

It’s amazing that almost everyone in your family was an immigrant. It’s funny that your great grandpas were both named Harry and you are named Harriet.

Sincerely,

Julian

Dear Harriet,

Than you for coming and sharing about your family’s history.

Something I liked was how they got to the port and where the port was, like how they had to climb over the Pyrenees Mountains. I also like learning about how they got onto the boat but didn’t know where they were going, but they went to Africa. I also thought the artifacts, like the candlesticks, the tools, the box, and even the jewelry with the missing diamonds were interesting. Also, it was interesting how your father had to change his last name to Lieber.

Thank you for coming and it was all very interesting!

Sincerely,

Ivy

Dear Harriet,

Thank you for coming to our class and telling us the story of your family.

My favorite part was when you told us your great grandpa followed the cart with all of the wood and ended up getting a job. I liked when you told us the two people in your family are named Harry and that’s why they made the name Harriet for you. I also liked when you told us how good your grandpa was at drawing, he is.

Thank you for coming to our classroom. We had an amazing time.

Love,

Will

Letters Home From Ellis Island. . . In 1906

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December 5, 1906

 

Dear Grandma and Grandpa,

 

The steerage conditions on the boat were terrible, the food, the space, we were all crammed together, it was so uncomfortable. I got so cold, I felt frostbitten. The good news is that Anna,Julia and I were all on the same boat! Also we got to see the Statue Of Liberty! I was so excited when I saw, and entered New York bay! And I touched the new ground! I still can’t believe how terrible the disease is back there I hope you make it. Anyways I hope to have a better life here.

 

I can’t believe we are finally here! Me and Julia were scared  for inspection but Anna comforted us , by making us laugh. I had my stuffed animal/bag, Mr Piggie, and all the things I need to live. When I saw the medical inspectors I was scared, worried and excited that we were here. It smelled like people and it smelled terrible. I heard people talking, they were talking in French,English and other languages I do not know. I think they were saying things about how hard the journey was. There was so many people. And around us there were people going through all sorts of tests. And when I got to the medical exam I was scared. People were doing all sorts of things, terrifying things, like having eyelids yanked up and so many terrifying things.

 

Also, my sisters, Dorthee, and I were scared for all the inspections. During the mental inspection we had to put together a puzzle, that was easy.The legal inspectors asked us what are name is, what we did at home, what we want to do here and why we came. None of us were detained but we did have to wait a long time. We went down the staircase of separation. Then went left, got on the ferry going to Manhattan

 

I am excited to begin my new life here! I miss all you guys! The good news is I made a friend here name is Lulu, she is the owner’s daughter of the tenement

 

Hope you survive,

Josephine (Cydney)

 

 

December, 5 2018

 

Dear Grandma,

It has been a terror on the boat. The sea is so high and the food is awful. I stole meat from the first class. I know I’m kosher but I was just so hungry. Mom died of fever and Dad and I are super sick. Now I understand why it is called “a floating coffin.” I am going to try to sleep now. I will write on the same page in the morning.

 

December,6 1906

I have woken up to a horrific noise, sounds like a huge wave crashing up against the bottom of the boat. I smell salt water too so I went up to the top of the boat but I wish I had not… I went to the top to be splashed, soaked to the skin. Plus there was a group of waves coming straight for us… I ran as fast as I could to warn everyone. We went to the top but just as I got up, I was knocked out cold. All I could hear under being knocked out was “Help!” “Help!” “Help!” I woke up and half of the steerage passengers were dead. My next door neighbor Heinz and his dad Otto and school friend Paul were also dead. It is a terror lots of people are screaming “there all dead” Somehow God has spared my dad and me and my best friend Walter and the lives of two dozen others… I just found out we will arrive tomorrow. Write you when I get there.

 

December,7 1906

We just got here and I found out that I will have to go to a various number of “tests”. I heard rumors that they take a hook and curl your eyelid with it. I am very scared that I will be detained. The first and second class passengers have just gotten off the boat, just as I was about to walk off the boat, security held me back. It turns out that steerage passengers have to wait one day to go to Ellis Island. Write you when I get there.

 

December,9 1906

There is a great big room on Ellis Island that’s twice the size of the Brandenburg Gate. The architecture is so impressive that the Eiffel Tower has new competition. There are so many lines of people on the floor, it looks like a living maze, the inspectors look so tired.

 

So far I passed the medical test, they used a hook, but they also made us walk up some stairs. They also asked us to sit down and stand up without using our hands, but then there was a legal test… they asked questions like this,”What is your name?” “Gustave Heitzer.” “Your nationality?” ”German.” “Can you read and write?” ”Yes.” “Do you have $ 25 on you?”-”No $ 19.” the inspectors  are talking. I’m super scared.

 

I got through and I’m going down the right stairway!!!

 

 

December,11 1906

America is strange. People are throwing rocks at me, my bag is so heavy and the streets do not seem to be paved in gold, and it is not easy to get any money whatsoever. Life looks good so far for rich people but not the poor.

 

 

Badly,

Gustave (Dante)

 

 

Dec 5, 1906

 

Dear Grandfather,

 

I journeyed over as a steerage passenger. I felt excited to start a new life but at the same time nervous as I started to wonder if I was going to be deported back to Greece. I felt good when one of the first-class passenger gave my family and me three apples. I felt really uncomfortable when a kid from second-class asked if I was poor. What I enjoyed was that there were people from all different countries all speaking different languages. I believed there was about 50 different languages.

 

Arriving at Ellis Island I was carrying a little cloth bag with my boat ticket, money, blanket and eye medicine. I was scared thinking I was going to be detained. The medical inspection was  frightening when I had the eye inspection. And it felt like the inspectors were digging deeper and deeper as they asked more and more questions. Most of the kids in steerage were getting teased by first and second-class kids. I heard birds chirping, people were mumbling about if they were going to get deported or not. It smelled like litter, body odor and moldy food that people had left here from past journeys.

 

Next there were a lot more inspections. At the mental test line I was relieved that the doctor gave me a smile not a frown. Well, the legal inspectors were staring at our family like crazy and I think they were even whispering “Why is that family so big?” Sadly we got detained but it was only for about half a day and it did not feel like that long but… that was for me because I was in my journal writing this letter. The staircase of separation was long and hard. Hard to say goodbye and a long journey to walk down the stairs and board the ship. But at least would see them soon.

 

I felt excited to start my new life to learn English and to make new friends. But the things I miss most are my friends family and all the delectable foods!

 

Love your daughter,

Marie (Emilia)

 

 

December 5, 1906

 

Dear Grandma and Grandpa,

 

The steerage on the boat was terrible. It was very windy and the air felt dirty all the way at the bottom of the boat. One uncomfortable thing was the food and sleeping.The steerage had bunks stacked two or three high. We were all crammed in one tiny space, so we did not have room to really do anything.  In steerage they could here the storms rumble very loud unlike first and second class. “The storms are coming, and there coming fast!” said William.We got served meals in a few pails but the food that the first and second class got was so much better, we even ate the garbage sometimes because it was better than the food they gave us. On the boat there were all different kinds of people. There were Dutch people, Italian people and so many more people. I saw all of them for the first time, I hadn’t seen that many different kinds of people in my life before. There were so many people I couldn’t even count them all.

 

One good thing on the boat was that I am a kid and the kids played and did other fun things. The adults didn’t have anything fun to do. When we first entered New York, I was so happy, I cried when I saw the Statue of Liberty.

 

When we arrived at Ellis Island I was happy, at first. I was carrying my trunk, with some pictures of my family, books, and clothes. When I first saw the medical inspectors, I got scared. The people around me were getting their eyelids lifted with a button hook.  The button hook would turn your eyelid inside out so they could see if you had the disease trachoma. I could feel the button hook on my eyelid. After the eye exam everyone was being watched walking up the stairs. The inspectors would watch you walk up the stairs so that they could see if you were hurt or had back or leg problems or to see if you were breathing heavily or had a fast heartbeat. I heard people screaming in pain, crying and answering the inspectors questions. It smelled gross because people had been traveling for a long time with no showers and people were being held there for a long time.

 

After the physical exams, we had to go through more exams. One of the tests was the mental test. For the mental test, you had to solve a puzzle in three minutes or less. It was hard but we all did it and passed. Another test was given by the Legal inspectors. For the Legal inspectors test you were asked a lot of questions. Some of the questions were: Where are you from? Where are you planning on going? How much money do you have on you right now? What is your full name? Who are you traveling with? If so did they work? What do you want to so when you are older? Do you go to school? Will you go to school? Can you read and  write? I was not detained, but if you were you would sleep in the dorm rooms until they called you back for further inspections and if you did not pass those inspections you might be sent back to your home country. The stairs of separation were where you go when you are done with all the exams. That did not mean you passed all the exams. The left aisle was for the people who were going to New York, the middle one was for the people who were detained, and the third one was for the people going to travel beyond New York City. Everything was very cramped and you had to leave your bags in the middle of a room. Also you were crammed into a small space with hundreds of other people. This was also where the eye exam was taken.

 

I feel happy about my future but also I am questioning how good New York really is because it has not been as great as people said so far.  I am also really excited to leave Ellis Island. I miss you and the culture like our religion there and everything there but I am happy to start a new life here.

 

Sincerely,

Jacob Van Blerkom  (Ivy)

 

 

December 5, 1906

 

Dear Grandpa,

 

The journey on the boat  was very hard and kind of gross. We traveled in steerage which was very hard. The food was so gross that me and ma stole food from the first class garbage can. Which was actually pretty fun. There were hundreds of people crammed into this one medium sized room. It was not fun at all. When we first arrived at the New York Harbor I felt the most excited I have ever been in my life, but I was very nervous because I did not know if I would pass the tests.

 

We arrived at Ellis Island we took the tests and the whole family passed, and have just finished being inspected by the inspectors at Ellis Island. It was scary because you never know if you will get in. The tests are pretty hard. But we passed. There was this one person though who was dressed like a boy, but was really a girl. She was wearing  a suit and tie, and top hat. The man interviewing her was asking her all kinds of questions about her, like where she works and where she plans to work. I did not think she would make it through, because she’s a girl, but finally the man let her through.

 

A minute ago we heard that the boat was two hours away. I miss you a lot, and ma and grandma do to. I hope you miss me. It is so cold that I feel my skin burning, and tingling from it. I hear the gulls honking and flying in the wind. I see the current in the water. It looks very strong. I have some questions for you though here they are:

  • What is our house like?
  • What school will I go to?
  • Are the streets really paved with gold?
  • Are there good restaurants?

 

I will tell you what we have been doing since we have been done with the tests. We walked down a staircase to get ferry tickets to Manhattan. We ate lunch, but it was a mess. There were a bunch of gulls flying around eating our food. My brother Leonardo got some of his food stolen. Luckily I didn’t get my food stolen. Some people got bit by the gulls. This whole experience has been hard, but ma says we will be at Manhattan in about twenty minutes.

 

There is some bad news though… great uncle Joe passed away on the way here, he  got very sick. I know you will be very sad because your brother died. I would too. I am so sorry that your brother died though. He was very nice and we all loved  him with all of our hearts. He was one of my favorite people.

 

I am thinking about my future… what will it be like in a big dirty city? Mom said there is no school in the summer, which is really cool. But aside from that I wonder what it will be like.  I’ll tell you what it is like next time I write to you, which will be every night.

 

Sincerely,

Jack (Julian)

 

 

December 5, 1906

 

Dear Grandma and Grandpa,

 

When we got on the boat (named M.S. New Jersey) I was with Josephine, Julia and a lot of other strangers. The wind whipped my face, it was so cold. The food was so disgusting in steerage so we had to steal food from the first class people on the boat. It smelled awful! We were so cramped and uncomfortable that we got no sleep! Me and Julia got a bunk, so I could be with the little one. Josephine slept with Dorthee. Julia was so scared so she came into my bed and I woke up with a bloody nose because my nose was squashed up against the wall. . The waves were choppy. Once we stole a banana, cereal, and some yogurt, our stomachs were full. It was a feast! (comparing to what we already ate) When we first entered New York Harbor, people cheered, and screamed. Julia was running around the ship screeching with happiness. Josephine came up to me and shouted with joy to the wind. We were finally here!

 

When we entered the strange place, the inspection room, I was carrying my pillowcase with all of my stuff. My hands, toes, and ears were ice cubes. When I first saw the medical inspectors, Josephine clung to me. I wished, no, prayed we would all pass. The inspectors looked really strict. Once when we finally got to the top of the stairs, the doctors asked us questions and stick a button hook in your eyelid and twist, so your eyelid is inside out. The doctors also watched us walk up a set of stairs and see if you limp, or anything else that might be different. There was an Asian family behind us,  and they were very nervous.The mom was muttering words I could not understand, the children crouching behind their mom, wailing. OMG! There were so many sounds in different languages, I got a headache! It smelled like dirty clothes and nasty stuff.

 

I saw a family who didn’t pass both tests. They had to take a mental test where you would do things like solving a puzzle. The Legal Inspectors would ask you questions about yourself. To make sure you were allowed in New York They asked you questions like: “What is your name?” “What is your home country?”.Luckily, we passed and were not detained. Once we passed, we went to the “Staircase of Separation.” This is a staircase that leads downward. It is separated into three parts. The right way led to the railroad ticket office. The right way led to the ferry to Manhattan. The middle way led to… the detention rooms. We took the right way.

 

I feel like this will be a good future for me! Dorthee got a house for us and the owner’s daughter (Lulu)  is Josephine’s best friend.

 

 

Sincerely,

Your granddaughter,

Anna J (June)

 

 

December 5, 1906

 

Dear Alice,

 

We are on our way to America!!! As you know my dad lost his job. My family wanted to save as much money as we could, so we bought steerage tickets. The boat was absolutely crowded. Here’s the bad news, Mum and Father passed away. I cried so much that my eyes turned red. There were these two other kids on the boat that I saw, they looked like they had a lot of fun. When I went to bed the first night an Irish man slept in the bunk under me. The bedding felt like rough wood against my skin, the pillows were as hard as a wall, and I could barely feel my feet which felt like cold ice in the winter. “We slept on triple stacked bunk beds,” said the guy next to me. But after three hours of tossing and turning, I finally got to sleep. In the morning I woke up and went to the deck. I loved the water but I could not go in it here, so I would just stare at the water and it made me feel like I was at home. Then the best day arrived, we got into New York Harbor!!! I was so happy I leapt on my feet and sprung to the door.

 

We arrived!!! I had a lot of luggage, and it was heavy, but it was all worth it!!!  I was still scared. I wished my parents could be here now. I wished I had my Mum’s skirt to hold onto or father’s beard to pull, then I got to the eye checking station. They made me look all around, but I passed. I felt bad for this person in front of me that had not passed. I could tell because she had an E on her back. I kept walking up the hall and the sound got so loud, family members happy or sad just talking and talking and talking. The smell was fresh but stinky at the same time. I had to plug my nose in some places there.

 

Then I had to do the mental tests. They made me arrange blocks into a square. It was kind of easy. I went onto the next test. At the legal inspectors test they asked me a lot of questions, like “How much money do you have?” and “What is your full name?” and “How old are you?” Once I passed I went to the staircase of separation and went down the one that said New York. The left went to NY the right went to NJ and the middle was the staircase for detained people. And then finally I was there!!

 

I am really happy to be here, but I miss you a lot. I am going to tell Father’s work that he passed away, and I am going to have to find a job myself. I’m so glad I’m finally here, and was worth the long trip.

 

 

Sincerely,

Sophia  (Lila)

 

 

December 5, 1906

 

Dear Mom and Dad,

 

Being in steerage is not that fun. The water rocks back and forth and it is shakey. The boys and I were on the same boat, and so was Grandma. The least comfortable part on the boat was when it started getting shaky and a lot of people started getting sick. The most memorable part on the boat was when I ran up on desk and saw the Statue of Liberty! And when I first saw New York Harbor I was so happy. I wish you were here.

 

When we got to Ellis Island, we heard people screaming and crying because the long journey was over! And all I had was a photo of you and a few other things. When I first saw the inspectors, people who check you, I was so scared! When the inspector looked at me he lifted my eyelid and asked questions that were very hard to answer like “how old are you?” All the people around us looked so frightened and scared.  I heard screaming and crying, it was not a good sound. And it smelled like cake that was out for a couple days.

 

We did have to go through more inspections. Mental tests and legal inspectors checked us too. I was not denied! I was so happy! On the staircase we all went down the right side. One person sad, “I tried a tomato for my first time and I spit it out.” I love tomatoes but I have not had one in years and it seems like there are a lot in the states, and i can’t wait to get some.

 

At this point I am very excited about my future. But i do miss everything back home and when I get enough money all come visit!!  I can’t wait to see you guys!

 

Love,

Edward (Lily)

 

 

 

December 5, 1906

Dear Mama and Papa,

 

The journey was harsh. I met a kid from Germany. The boat was so crowded, I often could not find my way around. Orneo was very sick she was in bed for the whole time but because she slept she past through all the inspections with me. The water was raging as it hit against the boat. The best part of the ship ride was, how big it was, I know it was  crowded but you could still get around. I did not want to go inside that much, so I mostly stayed outside. At the end of our long journey I saw Lady Liberty watching us promising to us that we were going to pass. Finally we got off the ship the air was crisp.

 

We saw the Great Hall, it was huge. My bag felt very heavy in my hands. It was scary when I first saw the inspectors. Would I be sent back? The inspectors were gazing at you when you walked  up the stairs seeing if we had something wrong with our legs. I saw people being detained. It sounded so loud I couldn’t hear my voice. There were so many fragrances mixed together from all the people. I heard so many different languages.

 

Then the inspection started. The mental tests were hard but fun. We had to read and put together a puzzle. Then there were the legal inspectors. They stared at my cousin and me when we passed through. Though we got detained because we didn’t have enough money but, only for two days we got out by solving some questions. Luckily, I can read and that helped us pass. Finally we went through the Staircase Of Separation Balen was waiting for us with water welling from his eyes with tears of joy.

 

I miss you guys so much and wish you were here and  I miss everybody and everything back home. It has been hard so far even though we haven’t entered New York yet. I will get the money to send for you. Can’t wait to see you. I will pick you up where you get the ferry and train. I know I will get alot of money at work.

 

From your son,

Martin Weinstein (Nico)

 

 

December 5, 1906

Dear Grandma and Grandpa,

 

Steerage was a gloomy place. Not a lot of people from Ireland were there. I remember that someone from Italy was there. Lots of people were there  and I did not have much privacy. I couldn’t take it, it was so crowded! The beds were hard so I mostly spent my day walking around. I talked to a lot of people that felt the same way-gloomy and out of place. It felt good when I heard that people had empathy for me. We passed the Statue of Liberty and finally went to Ellis Island. I was wondering, would we be free or would we be detained.

 

The Great Hall was really big. I trembled as I walked up the stairs to get to the building, I carried a suitcase and my identification card each in a different hand. I was hearing mutters by the immigrants, and booming voices by the inspectors. I came inside Outside the temperature was cold, and inside the temperature was freezing.First was the eye inspection,  I gasped when I saw the button hook(The button hook looked like a curved needle so that did not help my fear) but there was no turning back. The eye inspection was the most painful inspection that button hook did not help me.lots of people screamed with pain. The inspection where you walk up the stairs was easy, and so was the next one.(where the inspectors told us to sit down and stand up without your hands. I passed. A person next to me passed too, but she did struggle a little bit. I decided to comfort myself by seeing how this place smelled it smelled a little bit like sweat my guess was because everyone is nervous.

 

The inspections weren’t done. We still had the mental tests. The inspectors made a puzzle for the immigrants lots of people passed, but some were so mixed up! We all so had to do the legal inspection. The legal inspectors were so tough! When it was my turn I wanted I marched right up and answered all the questions. When I saw the stamp on my identification card I was relieved. I passed! YAY ME! The stairs were not great either as I saw some immigrants going straight down the stairs to the detention room. I went down the stairs of separation and turned right to the railroad ticket station and the will take me to the Lower East Side of manhattan. America here I come!

 

Sincerely,

Annie (Paloma)

 

PS America was new to me and all of the other immigrants. Some tasted tomatoes for the first time: “I eat the tomato. I spit it out. I couldn’t take it!” was something I overheard.

 

 

December 5, 1906

 

Dear Mother and Father,

 

The journey on the boat was awful though daytime was fun. Edward, Michael and a few other kids on the boat and me played up on deck and made pranks until the captain got trapped in the bathroom and oh my! He scolded us good but we always would get away with it right? Later in the day around 8:47 when I was trying to fall asleep something happened and it was that  a boy named Leo saw that I was having trouble sleeping so he took me out onto the deck and said “I think this will help you fall asleep, out here listening to the water splash against the boat.” and I took his advice and it felt wonderful to finally have fresh air at night time. And it did make me tired.

 

Today me Edward, and Michael are going up to first class and going to steal people’s food because it is so bad. Then all of the sudden we heard rumbling, we saw pointing and there it was looming over me the famous statue of liberty. It felt like a dream to see the bronze statue of liberty, almost like I had went to a different planet she was so pretty! I heard someone yell “my new home, my new land! Me and Martin were carrying briefcases that weighed about 10 pounds.

 

We got off the boat, and we saw the inspectors with their piercing eyes, and Edward cried. They looked at us climb up the staircase in the Great Hall. and made us sit down and stand up without our hands. Then we had the legal inspectors who asked me stuff like who I am do I go to school and do I have parents. But the person who was in front of me and got detained and guess what I did… NOT!! Then we went down the left staircase and we are now on the ferry and that is how I am going to end this letter.

 

The inspectors were really mean and they lifted up our eyelid with a button hook and it was very scary. The mental tests were sort of easy it was just a puzzle so i passed it in 30 seconds.

 

Sincerely,

George Michael (Penelope)

 

 

December 5, 1906

 

Dear Grandpa,

 

Being a steerage passenger was terrible. Pender, father, and I hated it. We watch the first and second class passengers got off the boat in America easy while we have to stay on the boat they got off just because they payed more! I had so much fun exploring the boat and playing dominos in steerage but, some things about exploring the boat I hated, like how first and second class could be having the best time in their lives while we were having the worst time in our lives!  One morning there was a terrible rumble so we went outside and we said together, “Oh my god.” I felt so happy that I would get off this boat and I saw people praying!

 

Now I feel even worse because we were not free yet. I was carrying a heavy box. I felt like the medical inspectors would do something weird to me and they kinda did do something weird to me. The medical inspection felt weird my eyelid but, it was fast and we had nothing wrong with us. I heard people yelling, crying, and pushing. The people around me were getting detained and separated and passing the test. I couldn’t smell anything because I was so cold.

 

I thought we were done with inspection but we weren’t done, we had a lot more. The mental tests were even harder than the medical inspection because I got a L on me but, I answered the Questions easily and fast. We were so flustered that we barely made it through the legal tests first try because they asked us hard questions like why did you come here. We were not detained but, the person right in front of us was.and I saw him go up the stairs and into a room. We were so lucky that we didn’t get separated on the staircase of separation because I heard it separates many people. Then we took the left staircase to the ferries not the right staircase to the railroad and not the middle to detention.

 

I miss my house, my stuffy but, the thing I miss the most is my family’s graveyard and  you grandpa.

 

Sincerely,

Lars (Sawyer)

 

 

December 5,1906

 

Dear Grandma,

 

You will not believe the boat ride I took from the West Indies to Ellis Island! There were so many people. My sister and I were on the boat. The journey was terrible because everyone was packed and there was no space for some people. I felt terrible and I threw up and got very sick because I felt nauseous. Sarah took care of me by getting me medicine. I stayed in bed for a few days. I got better 3 days before we arrived at Ellis Island.  My favorite part of the trip was talking to Sarah about getting to Ellis Island in my bunk at 9pm last night. I felt sad because it took me a long time to get here but excited because I’m finally here.

 

It was amazing to finally see Ellis Island. I was carrying my suitcase and my suitcase had my clothes and stuff that makes me sleep. When I first saw the medical inspectors, I felt nervous thinking about how they use the button hook. The medical inspection was good. The doctors did the inspection because they want to look for diseases and make sure you are healthy when you get to Ellis Island. They inspected us in the Great Hall. One of the things that they did is they used a button hook and pulled your eyelid up to see if it was healthy. I wanted to scream “Ahhh!” Another thing they did was making sure you didn’t have a fever using a thermometer. The people around me were also getting examined. I heard babies crying “Wahhhh” and the inspectors talking to the patients. I felt wind on my skin. I hear water sloshing with the corner of my eye. I saw seagull. I wanted to cry. “These conditions are horrible,”said Sarah. The Great Hall smelled like fish and chips because one of the inspectors was eating fish and chips.

 

I was examined by more doctors. It was terrible for me because even though I passed it still was bad because I almost had a heart attack that I would be deported. The mental test was good because the inspector said that I had a good brain. They asked me questions about laws and problems and they had to ask you problems with laws and the person who checked me said I got one problem wrong but the rest was right so they let me go.  Sarah and I went on one stairway and I turned left. And we got out of the great hall and were free. If you didn’t pass you would be deported back to where you came from.

 

I miss my dog, Peter, because I used to snuggle with him every day before bed.  I feel happy about my future because since I immigrated here my children will be able to stay here and be a citizen of America and get a good job and be successful.  My children won’t have to go through everything I went through.

 

Sincerely,

Audrey (Selah)

 

 

December 5, 1906

 

Dear Saxboomber,

 

Steerage conditions do not fit my high standards. It was so cold I could not feel my  face, I thought I was going to turn into an iceberg. I was with my 7 friends , Antonio, Mario, Luigi, Francesca, Federico, Giuseppe, and Alessandra.  I was very confused because I didn’t know what to do and I really wanted to leave. I liked watching the seagulls get blown away in the wind and the water smashing against the boat.  I was relieved to be alive because a lot of people died and or turned back. I felt pain and regret, but ready to start a new life once I saw the New York harbor.

 

I was carrying all the goods in my brown suitcase that I have that I didn’t sell to get tickets and I was wearing a sweater, 2 jackets, and a wool coat. My skin was dry and my eyes were tired. When I first saw the inspectors I saw them looking into people’s eyes.When it was my turn they stuck a hook in my eye and the process was very painful.  I was scared they would find something and pull me out of line. I also felt scared because the day before I had scratched my eye and it was still swollen. I worried from seeing people getting separated from their family members. I saw all the inspectors were all men and they had frowns. It smelled like dirt and it smelled weird. I heard people crying, and babies too.

 

One of the mental tests were to sit down and  sit up without using your hands.They asked me if I ever went to prison in my country and I said no. Luckily I was not detained. I overheard someone crying that they would have to go back to their country and they were in the middle aisle of the Stairs of Separation. On the Stairs of Separation I went through the left side and not the middle, if I went down the middle I would be sent back.

 

I feel happy to finally be in the New York Harbor!

 

Sincerely,

Vincenza Guido (Shaffer)

 

 

December 5, 1906

Dear Auntie,

I came over as a steerage passenger on a  boat where I threw up,I played with a cute baby and was amazed by the Statue of Liberty.  One day on the boat I was about to go to sleep when I saw a hand try to steal my precious pearl necklace that mom gave me. I grabbed it and hit the man who had tried to steal it. His name was boby , he said to me that he needed money so that when he got to New York, he could bring over his sister. I gave him my silver pinky ring. The next day, I was on the top deck getting some fresh air, because I was nauseous, when the boat suddenly rocked really hard and I threw up over the side, I was very uncomfortable with everyone watching and laughing at me but it happens to a lot  to people.The next day I went back up onto the top deck and saw a very cute baby. She was from Syria she had big chubby cheeks and two cute little front teeth. I played with her for hours and hours until the sun went down and we had to go to sleep because we would be entering New York harbor the next morning. That was a very good moment on the boat. The next morning I woke up before the sun even came up, packed all my stuff and went to the top deck. We entered New York harbor as the sun hit the Statue of Liberty, it was beautiful. Just as that beauty and hope of liberty was soaking into us, the boat docked in the island of heartbreak.

 

I was carrying a brown rusty chest which had most of  the stuff from my home country, such as a Pearl necklace my mother gave to me.  When we finally got to Ellis Island ,we went for the test I was so scared that I would be detained. When me and mother went to the inspector for the button hook test, mother went first I went second and we both passed all the inspections. I was so happy to hear that because we were going to live together in New York.   But the medical inspection was the scariest one in my opinion because you can have a eye disease and you do not even know. Me and mother were so scared because me or mother could be detained, but they said our health was good so we went on. When I saw a baby taken from their family, I was so sad and the eyelid oh my goodness the eyelid,  was so scary and when the inspectors said THIS one has to go back, it is also scary. The sounds they made were “NO PLEASE DO NOT TAKE MY BABY! NO I HAVE TRAVELED SO FAR DO NOT TAKE ME AWAY!.” It smelled like sweat everywhere and the smell of tears on the floor.

The metal test were so scary because if you got one question wrong then you go BACK TO YOUR COUNTRY. Me and mother were so scared that we were going to be detained and lost without each other for God no’s how long. And I would be so sad if mother is away from me. The Legal inspectors were the scariest part of the inspection they new what they were doing and I know they were looking for a eye disease, but I heard little boys and girls screaming “STOP PLEASE STOP STOP PLEASE STOP  IT HURTS STOP”. When I heard it I thought I was doomed forever. If you were detained you would spend the night in a pen. It looks just like a chicken pen some have told me. Waiting takes so long it might take hours to go on the boat to take you back to your home country. The staircase of suspension is where the inspector know that you are telling a lie and send you to court.

 

My trip was exciting and scary. It was exciting because I finally made it to Ellis Island, but it was scary because it was a new place and lots of scary rules.

 

Sincerely,

Sara (Skylar)

 

 

December 5, 1906

 

Dear Eleanor,

 

My experience on the boat was passable. On the boat there were many other passengers from many places in the world. The languages sounded like woven music with magnificent sound and energy. But the boat itself was not that magnificent. The bunks were very small and the food was dreadful. Once when I was on deck, a first class passenger dropped their wallet by accident and didn’t notice and I got five dollars! But the very best part was when we first saw the Statue of Liberty. It was beautiful. It’s seven-pointed crown and it’s glinting torch.

 

After fourteen days we finally disembarked and crowded onto the shores of Ellis Island. The stuffy air was like a cloud of smoke. In my bag, which was very old and made of wood, I was carrying my journal, the wallet I found, my ink and pen, my cow bell, and a picture of my best friend, Christopher A. Hill.  All of the immigrants filed into an enormous hall called the Great Inspection Hall. There were many inspectors. They looked gruesome with their buttonhooks. Though some looked nice and had no buttonhooks. The medical inspection was horrible. The inspectors used the buttonhooks to harshly peel back your eyelid to check for a blindness disease that is very contagious called trachoma. It felt like my eyelids were being ripped off of my eyes.  Around me, other people were passing, but some got detained. They would dreadfully be separated from each other. I heard dozens of languages, wails, cries, and screams. It reeked of dirty clothes, mud, and sweat.

 

The inspections were not over, though. Next we had mental tests. The inspectors had us put a puzzle together to test our memory. I passed, taking about twenty seconds to do it. The next test was the most terrifying. I heard it was called the legal inspection. They would ask you questions that they have asked you before to see if you have the same answer. One of the questions was, “have you ever been in prison?’’ I feel very lucky that I was not detained. But unluckily, my father was detained. He got one of the questions wrong. He told us to go on, and that he would come back soon. We had to part ways at a staircase called the staircase of separation that was split three ways.He took the middle steps, which led to the detention rooms.We met back up with him a few days later. I took the steps to the left.They led to the ferry where we went to New York. If you wanted a train ticket you would go to the right.

 

I think that me and my family will not have that much a difficult time here in the new world. We have been doing fine, and I think that we will continue to do so. “I am very happy that we too, speak english,’’ said my mother after we arrived. I miss you and our home very dearly.

 

 

Sincerely,

Edward (Vincent)

 

 

December 5 1906

 

Dear Dad,

 

We just got to the boat and we’re deep down in steerage. I’m having a bad time and I wish you were here. I’m with Brother, Mom, Grandpa, Grandma, Aunt, and Uncle. I am seasick because we are all the way in the bottom of the boat and it’s shaking around. I am also getting bored because I can’t see anything outside and I’m used to seeing things outside. One good moment I had was when I finally went to sleep, after a long time of trying. Once on the boat, I heard a man named Gustave Hietzer say, “…From the garbage can… we would eat pieces of meat even though we were Kosher, but we were so hungry so we took it.” I smelled the Hudson River and it did not smell good. When I got to Ellis Island I felt scared because I didn’t know what they were going to do to me.

 

We just arrived at Ellis Island and I saw the Statue of Liberty on another island. I went into the Great Hall and I could see a statue in the upstairs part of the hall. I wanted to touch it, so I did. It reminded me of touching a rock. I saw beds that we’re supposed to sleep in and they did not look comfortable. I also saw the three staircases which I knew meant something, but I did not really know. I was carrying the pictures of Italy and our family photos. When I first saw the medical inspectors, I was worried because they had hooks in their hands. The medical inspection was painful, but I passed. The people around me were from other countries.  I know that because I talked to them and they said where they were from.

 

I knew they were immigrants because I was talking to them and they said the places they were from. Some thought I was weird because I did the thing with my voice where I used different tempos. Some people were sick and had to leave, but our family was safe. The sounds I heard were “ow” and “that really hurts!” I thought there would be food that I would have liked to smell because I was starving, but there was no food so I didn’t get to smell anything. After a long day, we have more inspections.  Then I went to the Legal Inspectors and they asked a lot of things like where did come from, how old are you and things like that.

 

Bye Dad, I’m going to see soon in America!

 

Sincerely,

Leonardo (Will)

 

 

12/10/06

 

Dear Grandma and Grandpa,

 

I hate food the in  steerage. For having to do chores I didn’t really care that much but the fact that the food tasted like we were eating out of a dog’s mouth made me churlish. But I had to persevere in order to make it to where I am now. It was also vital that I ate anyway. I saw all the really rich first class people. I asked them if I could have some of their food and they said, “No.” So I was already infuriated. To be honest the really rich people are really rude, more rude than you’d expect. When the boat finally reached New York Harbor, I felt really curious because I had never seen it before.

 

Dorothee let me and my sisters explore while she did everything kids couldn’t do. I thought that we should split up because it would equal more exploring but Dorothee put Anna in charge so it’s not really my choice. We stayed together which I wasn’t happy about. Dorothee had all our suitcases and the money so we weren’t really carrying anything. If you don’t remember Dorothee, here is an explanation on how I know her; I haven’t seen her since I was two, since Josephine was four and since Anna was six. As an eight year old the medical inspectors kind of freaked me out. I was scared because they had buttonhooks to lift my eyelid. Now I could see my eyes worked just fine but… I passed all the tests! Some people would get deported if you failed the tests. One kid got deported by them self and had no adult with them. I heard the sounds of the kid who got deported screaming and the mom fighting. Most people didn’t shower so it smelt really bad.

 

The mental tests were really nerve racking because at this point I could get deported at any time. Anna went first and I went last, however we all passed the tests. I convinced the legal inspectors not to use the buttonhooks. It wasn’t very easy. The legal inspector that checked me was very sweet because he knew how old I was so he didn’t use the buttonhook. Luckily I didn’t get detained. I wanted to explore the staircase of separation but Anna didn’t want to so we didn’t.

 

I miss the soft couch at our old house, I miss mommy and daddy, I miss you guys but I feel kind of excited to explore my new future. I hope we can keep writing letters to each other. America is great, there are so many things to do here! There is so many things to do to the point where I don’t know what to do next. Well I miss you and I love you and I can’t wait to receive another letter.

 

Love,

Julia (Zara)

 

 

 

December 5, 1906

 

Dear Mom and Dad,

 

Steerage was horrible, we got small spaces to sleep and me, Edward, George and Grandma were getting sea sick and just sick from all the rocking and shaking. We vomited. It was very cramped in the boat. There were millions of people on the boat. It was crowded in steerage, but the only people I knew was Edward, George, Grandma, and our foreign friend we met named Jacob. An uncomfortable moment was at night when I heard talking, crying, and more talking about gold on streets, and if it was really true. One good moment on the boat was when we got herring, the fish, to eat, but it wasn’t good, but it helped with sea sickness. When we first entered New York Harbor it was so nice because we finally made it to America!

 

We first arrived at Ellis Island and we saw the Statue Of Liberty and all of us were so happy, but missing you so much! I was carrying a suitcase that was rusty and had locks on for protection. I had a book, clothing, pictures, and sacred things in my suitcase. I was also carrying a picture of all of us together. When I first saw the medical inspectors I thought “What are they going to do to us?” I didn’t want someone looking under my eyelids! They used a button hook to look under our eyelids. Also made us do a puzzle and asked us questions. We had to walk up stairs too. It wasn’t that bad. Some people were being detained, I felt so bad for them. “Storms were coming! Quick!” said some people in the hall. It was so loud. I heard so many people saying things, but they were all speaking a different languages. It smelled like hope because people were happy to make it.

 

We were in so many inspections that we had to wait in so many lines! We had to do a puzzle for the mental tests and all of us passed. We had legal inspections which when they looked under our eyelids and it hurt so much and it was gross! We all passed, but if under your eye was red you wouldn’t pass. I was not detained. None of us were detained. We all went down the right staircase. That meant we were going to America. If you went down the middle staircase you were detained. If you went down the left staircase you were deported. It was called the staircase of separation.

 

I feel that my future is changed in a good way. If I was in Italy it would have been different because we were poor. I miss you both and and I miss our home. I can’t wait to see you both in America.

 

Sincerely,

Michal (Ziva)

 

 

“Everyday is a day of thanksgiving…”

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Something that people could do is take five to ten minutes out of their day and sit down and think about things they are thankful for. I think that that would help them because my mom told me that people who do this have a happier day.

This week we learned about some of the traditions of the Wampanoag Tribe. In an article we read, Gladys Widdiss, a tribal elder, described how the Wampanoag experience thankfulness, “Every day is a day of thanksgiving for the Wampanoag.” With that thought in mind, fourth graders considered some of the things they are thankful for in their everyday lives.

Will: “I am thankful for my family. I am also thankful for my pets. Our family can celebrate it by cooking and eating a meal together. I can celebrate with my pets by dancing with them.”

Lila: “I am thankful for my family, my school, my room, my food, and my trampoline…I could celebrate my thankfulness by just thinking about how thankful I am…I know everyday when I wake up to my mom sitting in my room I should be thankful for someone to care so much about me that they sit in my room and wait.”

Nico: “I am thankful for having a roof over my head and food and running water. We could go around the table and say what we are thankful for.”

Shaffer: “I am thankful for an amazing home and going to a great school. The way I can celebrate is by being more thoughtful. I can listen more to my mom. I can hug my dad more. I can listen more carefully and respect my teachers.”

Paloma: “I am thankful for my family. I can show that by taking care of them. I can also show that by doing stuff for them like washing the dishes or folding up the clean laundry. I can care for them in simple ways like holding the door or passing something they need to them…”

Vincent: “One way we could celebrate is by having food, not just having food but also having family/company over while eating. I could celebrate this by maybe holding hands and singing the song we sang at the farm….Another way that I could celebrate is by just walking around the house/apartment and thinking how lucky I am to have this.”

Ziva: “I am thankful for food…a warm cozy home…my family…my friends….A way that I celebrate is eat berries when they are in season.”

Julian: “I am thankful that my parents are really good at cooking…I can celebrate being thankful for that by saying a prayer every time I eat a meal, kind of like what we did at the farm. I can always thank my parents for what they do for me. I can give people who are homeless food from my home.”

Selah: “I might celebrate by praying. Another way is singing. My last way is dancing.”

Skylar: “I am thankful for my family and three dogs because my dogs are so cute. I love my family because they give me a home to live in and we make really good food on Thanksgiving.”

Cydney: “ I am thankful for school. I would celebrate it by always paying attention and focusing. I am thankful for my family. I would celebrate them by spending time with them.

June: “…On Thursday, I am thankful for my kitty because that is the day of the week we got him. I celebrate by playing with him and cuddling him.”

Penelope: “Things that I am thankful for are my family, food, friends, my house, my life, my school, earth, art, soccer, music, me, my personality, health, more that what I need, electronics, no disabilities, fresh air, fresh water, skiing and books. Something that people could do is take five to ten minutes out of their day and sit down and think about things they are thankful for. I think that that would help them because my mom told me that people who do this have a happier day.”

Zara: “My dog…my dog is fun and keeps me entertained. I probably wouldn’t be so interactive without my dog.”

Sawyer: “I am thankful for being alive so I’ll play outside…I am thankful for my parents. I might show them that by hugging them.”

Dante: “I am thankful for my friends. I am thankful for my family….I am thankful for peace. I am thankful for each day.”

Lily: “I am thankful for my family and how I will celebrate that is by caring for them and loving them.”

Ivy: “One way I celebrate things daily is I help my family. I help by setting the table, feeding my dog, giving my dog water, and making them feel good.”

 

 

 

What do we know about immigration?

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They might come to New York to try to have a new life.

At the onset of our study on immigration students answered the question, “What do you know about immigration?” The next day we visited a mural in our neighborhood that seemed to also be focused on the theme of immigration. While we were looking at it, the artist walked up and introduced himself, Kobra. We are going to keep a look out for these faces during our study of historical immigration and Ellis Island.

Below are some of the students’ initial thoughts on the topic of immigration:

  • Immigration is when people come from a place and move to a new place by force or it wasn’t safe or there they didn’t have resources they needed. It’s a long and sometimes hard journey to get to the place they’re going.
  • This is usually because something in their country is not fair.
  • I think immigration is when different people around the world go to America or somewhere else like it.
  • Immigration is, I think, people who come from far away countries that are either poor or they just want a new life. Immigrants have to take jobs as taxi drivers sometimes.
  • Immigration is lots of people moving from one place to America because they don’t like what their country is doing. They took a train or a plane. I think it was in the 1900s.
  • Some reasons for immigration may be because of unfair treatment or hopes for a better life. When an immigrant arrives in a new place, they often have close to nothing only what they manage to pack and that is not often much when escaping war or natural disasters.
  • Immigration is where people come from around the world because something bad happened in their country.
  • Immigration is when people from different places move for certain reasons. They might come to New York to try to have a new life.  
  • Immigration is when someone moves from another place like Peru and then become a legal citizen…they need someone to approve them if they want to become a legal citizen.
  • What I know about immigration is that they are people who came from a different country because of war, dictatorships, or not enough freedom. They sometimes come because they are poor.
  • There are some people that aren’t born here but are living here but they aren’t immigrants.
  • Immigration is when a human goes from one country to another country. Or from one continent to another. A lot of people came to New York because people thought that New York was the place dreams came true.
  • Immigration is when people from other places come to another country sometimes by plane sometimes by boat, most of the time they have to go to court to see if they can stay. If no, they are usually deported back to their country. People have been coming here since the 1600s.
  • Immigration happened in the 1800s maybe. They did it because they wanted better lives.
  • It could be happening right now. It happens because they have their own reasons.
  • Immigration is a group of people traveling from a country to a new place. It could be a New Yorker traveling to Canada. They do it because there is nothing there for them or they can’t live there anymore because something happened there.
  • I think immigration is when someone is not born where they moved.
  • Immigration is a group of people who don’t have any money or home. They were a long time ago and they’re still a thing now.

Hawthorne Valley Farm Day 3

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Dispatch from Deborah: At one point today (4:00pm to be exact) I was standing in the playground and I could see children everywhere fully engaged in the workings of a farm; some were in the horse pen cleaning and preparing to ride Daisy, the horse, some were up on the hill in the distance, herding the cows, others were in the garden picking vegetables for our dinner. Chickens were tottering around my feet, the sheep were baaing, the sun was shining, all was well.

So many moments on the farm. We look forward to sharing them with you! We miss you and will see you very soon!

In the meantime, see below for some poetry/reflections. More to come at our farm breakfast…

Grasping Grips

Grip and

Grasp, grasp and grip

Plip, plip, plip

Undo

The glue

Uck some green

Uck some blue

Jumping all around

Up and down,

All around

Mucky muck

Gluie glue

Undo the

Glue, if

You can,

Undo

The ucky, mucky

Splishy splashy

Messy

MUD

 

 

Better than Day 1

Today I picked lots of leeks

I saw the trees atop the peaks

And made soup with potatoes

Tomatoes and all of the above

And got hit in the face

Playing tetherball with gloves

I had fun being done

After milking the cow

Oink, neigh and moos

Made like we were in a zoo

I was right because after day one

I knew it would be a lot more FUN

 

Hawthorne Valley Farm Day 2: Herd on the Farm

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7:05: Looks like you can see the sun setting on the trees (looking at the foliage first thing in the morning).

7:25: I smell good food! (while walking past the dining hall).

7:30: I feel like all animals love me (while petting the sheep).

7:45: With our population and with the way we treat the earth, we are going to make some sacrifices (at breakfast).

10:15: It’s Gouda for you! (while touring the creamery).

3:00: I love being dirty – it’s so much better than clean (while herding cows in the mud)

4:00: Are these synonym apples or cinnamon apples? (during snack)

5:00: All of the chicks are together! (while feeding the chickens in the chicken coop).

5:15: I don’t want to grow up. I don’t want to be a moody teenager (as we walked to the pigpen).

6:15: This is so bougie (during dinner as we were placing our napkins in our laps).

6:20: I am a vegetarian except I eat bacon (during dinner).

Hawthorne Valley Farm Day 1: Udderly Amazing

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Farm Trip Day 1:

 

We had a meandering start to our day but when we finally arrived at Hawthorne Valley Farm, everyone hit the ground running. Below are some samples from the students’ evening journal writing session, which hopefully gives you a glimpse into our very exciting, beautiful, and yes a bit tiring but in a good way, day.

 

Zara: Well, my day didn’t go as planned. I got to school late. Well to be exact, five minutes late.

So, first of all this wasn’t even my fault so technically, it was the train’s fault because I left early.

 

Selah: I went to school and found out that my bus partner was Zara! Yes!…So my bus ride? Well, Zara slept most of the time.

 

June: We then lined up and departed our classroom! We walked down the stairs and when we walked outside, all of the parents started clapping. Then we got on the bus and I chose a seat near the front because I get carsick, but luckily I didn’t get car sick!

 

Nico: About two hours into the ride, one of our teachers, Deborah, noticed we were going the wrong way. So we had to turn back and ride for another hour and a half. When we turned around we saw metal spaceships in a yard.

 

Lila: Then our day really started! We had a tour of the farm. It was really smelly! When we got to the sheep I found out their names and one of them is even named Lila!

 

Shaffer: We ate lunch, it was salad, rice, radishes and much more. (For dinner) I made soup and thirty people ate it. I cut an onion and my eyes blew up.

 

Emilia: The lentil soup was fun to make and gross to eat.

 

Skylar: I went cow herding and stepped in mud and cow poop. It was fun cow herding because they kind of listen to you. Also you get to boss them around. The hills were amazing.

 

Ziva: I enjoyed getting expired food and giving it to the pigs because pigs eat anything and they liked it. When we put the liquids into one it looked disgusting.

 

Lily: After lunch we separated into groups and did different activities. My group was the “Piglets” group. We made butter and we had to herd the cows and bull. We had to walk through mud and poop which was in my opinion, fun!

 

Dante: I stepped in horse poop. Is that good or bad? I am soaked to the skin with mud. And I fed pigs bread, tortillas, ravioli, kombucha, juice, milk, sour cream, noodles, yogurt, salsa, and hummus.

 

Cydney: First, me and Selah (we were always partners) washed the vegetables. There were so many carrots! Then we put together the spices. The smell took over!

 

Sawyer: After lunch, my group, the calves, were with the horses. We rode them and cleaned their poop.

 

Paloma: First we took a tour and then we went to the horses. We learned the safety rules, then we got to brush them (I brushed Sam). After we cleaned the poop, I was the last to ride (I rode Daisy).

 

Will: Last, we herded the cows and the walk to the cows took seven minutes and it was muddy and sticky. When we got there, we had bamboo and we were putting our arms straight like a fence. It took awhile to get the cows back to the farm.

 

Penelope: I rode the horse, Daisy, backwards. It was weird because I had never done that before.

 

Julian: At free time we ran races and we had races climbing the rock wall. The we had a great dinner. It was hard boiled eggs and salad. At the end of the day we got our pajamas on and brushed our teeth. Now we go to sleep!

 

Vincent: After we finished dinner, we, me and the waiters, cleaned up after dinner, swept the floor, stacked the chairs, and cleaned the tablecloth…I found my friend Tyler’s lost stuffed animal from the last trip (wedged in between the mattress and the wall).

 

Ivy: At dinner we ate eggs a special way. We also ate lentil soup, which one of the other groups made. Then I found out that I have morning chores with Penelope and have to wake up tomorrow at 5:45!

 

What Roda Ahmed Taught Us: An Author’s Visit

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Roda wrote the book, Mae Among the Stars, to show that anything is possible if you work hard and you study for it. -Zara

Images from thank you notes for Roda made with Kindergarten buddies

Reported by Zara

On Wednesday we went to the kindergarten room, and we found our buddies, and we heard the kindergarten teacher, Alisa, read the book called Mae Among the Stars, which is a book that Roda Ahmed wrote. The book is about following your dreams. It was Mae Jemison’s dream to become an astronaut. When she was little, Mae’s teacher and her friends told her that she needs to be a nurse, not an astronaut. But she didn’t want to be a nurse.

Don’t listen to what other people tell you when they tell you what you should be when you grow up. You should do what you want to do.

Mae studied about how to become an astronaut and she became an astronaut. She also studied about being a doctor and became a doctor too.

Cydney’s notes about Mae Jemison

 

When Roda came in on Thursday, she told us about her life and family. She told us she was born in Somalia and then she moved to Norway and now she lives in Los Angeles. Roda wrote the book to show that anything is possible if you work hard and you study for it.

Working on thank you notes to Roda with buddies

 

Introducing Some of Our Current Favorite Book Characters

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Ziva

My name is Stacey.  I just moved from NYC to the country.  I’m at a new school and I made a group 0f friends.  We’re in a babysitters club.  What we do is get calls and babysit for kids.  We’re all 13 and we all meet up at Claudia’s house and have meetings on Mondays and Wednesdays.  Kristy Thomas is the President, Claudia Kishi is the Vice President, Mary Anne Spier is the Secretary, and me, Stacey MCgill, am the treasurer.  I have diabetes, so I have to eat a balanced meal and I’m not really allowed to have candy. Sometimes I have to go to the doctor because they’re trying to help me with my diabetes. But, it’s ok except that I have to have shots a lot.  Also, since there has been a new  babysitting agency we haven’t been getting many calls… Find out more by reading The Baby-Sitters Club, the 2nd book by Raina Telgemeier.

Zara

Hi! My name is Cinderella.  I like to hang with my friends and I am brave.  I like to go on trips and my friends consider me funny and kind.  So my personality is, I’m talkative, friendly, kind, funny and adventurous…alright this could go on forever, that’s all you need to know anyway.  Don’t judge me for this but I’m trying out for the talent show. Read my book! Read my book! Read my book —it’s called Grimmtastic Girls: Cinderella Stays Late by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams.  Why, you ask?  Well, I think you should read my book because it’s funny, interesting, and just the perfect length.

Vincent

I am a robot.  I am programed to help. My name is Rozzum Unit 7134.  Roz for short.  I am “born” on an island in the middle of the ocean! Over time, I learn to camouflage and learn to speak the language of the animals.  Naturally, I know how to speak English. A problem that occurs is that I caused a rockslide and an orphan egg was created.  The egg parents, and their brothers and sisters died in the rockslide. The egg is a goose egg. Read Wild Robot by Peter Brown to find out what happens next.

Will

Hi my name is Max.  I am good at some things but there is one thing that I am very good at and that is making people laugh.  My favorite things to do are make people laugh, pull pranks on people, and to hang out with my best friend Hugo.  Also my grandpa got kidnapped.  Because I am really funny, I want to be in a contest and try to make people laugh.  Whoever made more people laugh wins.  Read Funny Kid by Matt Stanton to find out if I win.

 

 

Skylar

My name is Greg.  I like to spend my time in my journal.  I also love video games. And, I also love Holly Hills.  She’s the pretty girl in my school. Some people say I self absorbed but I think that’s a joke. My big brother Rodrick has a crush on Heather Hills. The two Heffley brothers have a crush on the Hill sitters. Find out what happens next in Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney.

Selah

Hi, I’m Roberto.  It’s been my dream to get noticed by the major league.  I love baseball! I’ve been playing since I was kid.  When I was eleven years old, I helped a lady who was in a car crash.  I ran from across the highway, in traffic, to get her out of the car. My personality is kind, helpful, and nice.  I live in Puerto Rico. I am the youngest out of six. If you want to learn more about me, read Who Was Roberto Clemente by James Buckley Jr.

Shaffer

Dear diary, one day a bulletin board fell on me and now I am flat.  My name is Stanley.  I have a brother named Arthur.  I do not have many friends partly because I am flat.  Some people call me obnoxious but I am really sad inside.  I like to run around. If you want to learn more about me go to Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown.

Sawyer

My name is Doon.  I like to explore.  I am brave and I think of plans very fast.  I’m kind.  I’m from the city named Ember.  There was a mini war. What caused the war? There were markings on walls of houses.  The markings on the houses were saying mean things about the people in the houses. You will have to figure it out and how it ended by reading the book. It’s name is The City of Ember The People of Sparks by Jeanne Duprau.

Penelope

Hello my name is Max and I live in a ghetto in Germany in 1944.  I have a 9 year old sister named Zena.  My father was taken away by the nazis.  We were struggling to live, in fact some days we didn’t even get any food! And we thought that the only way to survive was to escape. We found another group of Jewish resistance fighters. We were safe for a little while but then bombs started falling. How will we survive? Read I Survived the Nazi Invasion, 1944 by Lauren Tarshis.

 

Paloma

Hi! My name is Milla, and I love to read.  I have a pet pig named Chocolate Chip (Chip for short).  My best friend is named Piper, but I have more friends now, Ruby, Mariana, and Zahra.  I met them in our music group. We named are music group the Daring Dreamers Club.  I have always longed for an adventure, and the school camping trip is perfect!  But my parents are very protective and I don’t know if they will let me go. I will just have to find out.  You can find out too if you read Daring Dreamers Club — Milla Takes Charge by Erin Soderberg.

Nico

Hi my name is Charlie Laird.  I am 12 years old.  I have a younger brother named Jack he is in 3rd grade.  My mom died a few years ago.  My dad married a woman and I am sure she is a witch.  Ever since I moved into my stepmonster’s purple mansion I have had non-stop nightmares.  I live in a town called Cypress Creek.  My best friends are named Page, Alfie and Rocco.  We have been best friends since kindergarten.  I have tried to avoid my biggest fear but I don’t think I can for much longer… If you want to find out more read Nightmares by Jason Segel and Kirsten Miller illustrated by Karl Kwasny.

Lily

It all started at the grocery store, Winn-Dixie.  My name is India Opal.  I live

with my dad who is the preacher and my dog.  I’m a kind, young and intelligent girl.  I live on a camper grounds so I live in a camper.  I work in a pet store with my friend Otis so I can get a collar and a leash for my dog. I have a friend named Gloria.  People think she is creepy, but I think she is just a normal women. I think we have a lot of fun together.  We sit under old bottles and have pb and js together.  My dog is usually with us.  I love playing with my dog.  Read the book Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo to find out what the dog’s name is!

 

Lila

Hello my name is Simone Biles, I am now an olympic gymnast but let’s go back and see how I got there…When I was little my mom could not take care of me so my grandparents took me in.  They had 2 boys, both of them older than me.  I loved spending time with them mostly on our trampoline.  We would do this thing where I would sit in a ball in the middle and they would be on either side of me and bounce me up as high as they could and flip me.  “It’s not enough to take steps which may some day lead into a goal; each step must be itself a goal.” I had courage I had flight and I had “a body in motion.”  To find out more about how I got to where I am today read Courage to Soar by Lou Retton and Me.

 

Ivy

Hi my name is Ben and I go to Spy School.  Spy school is boring but it’s also really exciting.  My friends would probably describe me as brave, a risk taker, and someone who likes adventure.  Here it’s hard to be normal, for instance, I have been the target from the start.  By target I mean everybody has been attacking me and I just got here.  It’s been hard but Alexander Hale has been telling me how lucky I am to be in this situation, but I don’t think so.  I have to go but read the Spy School Series by Stuart Gibbs to find out the rest.

June

Hi My name is Adelaide Belmont.  I like to dance (or used to be able to) because of bread (I don’t want to get into that).  My father works at a bakery and I help there to with Amaury. I lied to everyone at school to think my leg was eaten by a crocodile, but really it was hit by a lamppost.  I made friends with Archer B. Helmsley and Oliver Glub.  We tried to — oops I shouldn’t say that. We encountered a problem which includes – an iceberg, tigers, a life raft, and a plan.  It’s a good plan, well not a bad plan but it doesn’t go perfectly…to find out what went wrong read The Doldrums by Nicholas Gannon.

Julian

Hi, my name is Winnie. I am a girl but I try to be like a boy.  My best friend Iggie moved from here to Tokyo, so I don’t see her anymore which makes me really sad.  About two days later the Garbers moved into Iggies house.  The Garbers are a super nice family. The problem is they are the only African American family on the block so everyone wants them to leave because of their race.  But I like them, they are my friends. Read Iggie’s House by Judy Blume because it’s the kind of book you don’t want to stop reading, and it has a really good story.

Emilia

My name is Charlotte.  I am currently living at an all boys orphanage.  I am adventurous, smart, brave and I love horses.  I have a problem, my best friend got adopted.  And my horse got sick and died.  What can I do? To find out, come on and read Riding Freedom by Pam Muñoz Ryan.

Dante

I am Zeus, king of all gods.  I am one of 5 siblings – Hera, Hades, Poseidon and Hestia. Kronos and Rhea are my parents.  Kronos overpowered his father, the Sky, with his sickle. So his mother Earth said that his son will overpower him. Kronos did not want to give up power so when Rhea gave birth the five of us, he ate us. But Oceanus switched me with a rock. If Kronos noticed one of his kids had less warmth than the other he gave no sign.  I was raised in a cave by Nymphs in a mountain.  I did not know it but my brothers and sisters were the race of the new gods.  I was walking along and I saw metis she said she would help me with a plan like this.  Metix is Kronos’ niece.  He had nothing to fear of her.  She would give him a bottle that would spit out my siblings.  She said I should take my birth light and try to kill Kronos. Read Zeus the King of Gods by George O’Connor to find out.

Cydney

Hi my name is Captain Underpants.  I am a principal who turns into Captain Underpants if you snap, and I turn into a principal if you pour water on my head.  In this book I have to defeat Tippy Tinkle Trousers (former name professor poopypants,) in a giant robo suit, that time travels.  I am a grumpy principal and a brave hero.  When I am a principle I LOVE being mean to kids and torturing them.  When I am Captain Underpants I like Gorge and Harold, (they created me).  I also like saving the day but not without a red and black cape.  I am a mean, terrible, and thoughtless to kids principal.  I am a brave, nice, fun, and happy hero! Read Captain Underpants And The Terrifying Return of Tippy TinkleTrousers by Dave Pilkey to find out how I defeat Tippy Tinkle Trousers. Or what happens!